Name

The
name, An-Nahl, of this Surah has been taken from v. 68. This is
merely to distinguish it from other Surahs.

Period
of Revelation

The
following internal evidence shows that this Surah was revealed during
the last Makkan stage of Prophethood:

v.
41 clearly shows that persecution had forced some Muslims to
emigrate to Habash before the revelation of this Surah.

It
is evident from v. 106 that at that time the persecution of the
Muslims was at its height. Therefore a problem had arisen in regard
to the utterance of a blasphemous word, without actual disbelief,
under unbearable conditions. The problem was that if one did so how
he should be treated.

vv.
112-114 clearly refer to the end of seven year famine that had
struck Makkah some years after the appointment of the Holy Prophet
as Allah's Messenger.

There
is a reference to v. 116 of this Surah in VI: 145, and v. 118 of
this Surah contains a reference to VI: 146. This is a proof that
both these Surahs (VI and XVI) were sent down in the same period.

The
general style of the Surah also supports the view that this was
revealed during the last stage at Makkah.

Central
Theme

All
the topics of the Surah revolve round different aspects of the
Message, ie., refutation of shirk,
proof of Tauhid,
and warning of the consequences of the rejection of and opposition
and antagonism to the Message.

Topics
of Discussion

The
very first verse gives direct and strict warning to those who were
rejecting the Message outright, as if to say, "Allah's decision
has already been made concerning your rejection of the Message. Why
are you then clamoring for hastening it? Why don't you make use of
the respite that is being given to you!" And this was exactly
what the disbelievers of Makkah needed at the time of the revelation
of this Surah. For they challenged the Holy Prophet over and over
again: "Why don't you bring that scourge with which you have
been threatening us! For we have not only rejected your Message but
have been openly opposing it for a long time." Such a challenge
had become a by-word with them, which they frequently repeated as a
clear proof that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) was not a true
Prophet.

Immediately
after this warning they have been admonished to give up shirk,
for this false creed was the main obstacle in the way of the Message.
Then the following topics come over and over again, one after the
other:

Very
convincing proofs of Tauhidand refutation of shirkhave been based on the plain signs in
the universe and in man's own self.

The
objections of the disbelievers have been answered, their arguments
refuted, their doubts removed and their false pretexts exposed.

Warnings
have given of the consequences of persistence in false ways and
antagonism to the Message.

The
moral changes which the Message of the Holy Prophet aims to bring
practically in human life have been presented briefly in an
appealing manner. The mushrikshave been told that belief in Allah,
which they also professed, demanded that it should not be confined
merely to lip service, but this creed should take a definite shape
in moral and practical life.

The
Holy Prophet and his companions have been comforted and told about
the attitude they should adopt in the face of antagonism and
persecution by the disbelievers.

In
the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

[1-2]
Allah's "Judgment" has come:1
so do not clamor for hastening it; He is free from every defect, and
exalted high above the shirk that they are practicing.2
He sends down by His command through His angels the Spirit3
on that one of His servants whom He chooses,4
(bidding), “warn the people that there is no other deity than
I. Therefore, fear Me.”5

[3]
He has based the creation of the heavens and the Earth on truth; He
is exalted high above that shirk which they are practicing.6

[4-9]
He created Man from an insignificant sperm-drop, and behold, by and
by he became a manifest disputant.7
He has created cattle, which provide you with clothing and food, and
there are other benefits also for you in them; they look pleasant
when you drive them to the pasture in the morning and bring them home
in the evening. They carry your burdens to far-off lands, which you
could not reach without painful toil. Indeed your Lord is
All-Compassionate and All-Merciful. He has created horses, mules and
donkeys so that you may ride them, and they may add splendor to your
life. He creates for you many other things, of which you have no
knowledge at all.8
Allah has taken upon Himself to show the Right Way, when there exist
crooked ways too.9
He would have guided all of you aright, if He had so willed.10

[10-11]
It is He, Who sends down for you water from the sky, which provides
drinking water for you and brings forth fodder for your cattle. And
thereby He grows for you crops and olives and date-palms and vines
and different kinds of many other fruits. Surely there is a great
Sign in this for those people who ponder.

[12-13]
He has subjected to your service the day and the night and the sun
and the moon: likewise all the stars are subjected by His Command. In
this there are many Signs for those who make use of their common
sense. And in the things of different colors He has created for you
in the Earth, there is indeed a Sign for those who learn lessons from
them.

[14]
It is He Who has subjected the sea to your service so that you may
get fresh flesh from it to eat and bring out of it articles of
ornament, which you wear, and you see that the ship sails her course
through it. He has done all this so that you may seek of His bounty11
and show gratitude to Him.

[15-16]
He has driven mountains firmly into the earth lest it should turn
away from its usual course along with you:12
He has caused rivers to flow and made natural ways13
so that you may be directed aright. He has placed landmarks14
to direct people, and by stars, too, they are directed aright.15

[17-19]
Is, then, He, Who creates, like those who create nothing?16
Do you not understand even this much? If you try to reckon up Allah's
blessings, you cannot count them. Indeed, He is Forgiving and
Compassionate17
though He knows all that you conceal and all that you reveal.18

[20-21]
And the other beings, whom the people invoke, create nothing; nay,
they are themselves created. They are dead, not living, and they do
not know at all when they shall again be raised to life.19

[22-23]
Your Deity is One Allah, but the hearts of those, who do not believe
in the Hereafter, are given to denial, and they are puffed up with
pride.20
Surely Allah has full knowledge of all their deeds, both secret and
open. He does not like those people, who are puffed up with pride.

[24-26]
And21
when they are asked, "What is it that your Lord has sent down?"
they say these are mere fairy tales of the ancients.22
They say such things so that they should bear the full brunt of their
own burdens on the Day of Resurrection together with some of the
burdens of those whom they are leading astray in their ignorance.
Behold! what a heavy responsibility they are taking on themselves!
Many of those who have gone before them also contrived such cunning
devices to defeat the Truth, but behold! Allah smote the edifice of
their evil designs at its foundations and its roof fell down upon
their heads from above them, and the scourge overtook them from the
direction they little dreamed that it would come.

[27-29]
Then on the Day of Resurrection Allah will disgrace and degrade them.
He will say to them: "Now where are My partners concerning whom
you used to dispute (with the truthful)?"Those,23
to whom Knowledge had been given in the world, will say, "Today
there is ignominy and misery for the disbelievers." Yes24
, this is for those disbelievers, who, while they are still engaged
in wronging themselves, shall surrender themselves when seized by the
angels,25
saying, "We were doing nothing wrong at all." The angels
will retort, "What, dare you deny this! Allah is fully aware of
what you were doing. Now, go and enter the gates of Hell, where you
shall abide for ever."26
The fact is that a very miserable abode it is for the haughty ones.

[30-32]
On the other hand, when the God-fearing people are asked, "What
is it that has been sent by your Lord?" they say, "It is
the best thing that has been sent down."27
There is good for those righteous people who do good works in this
world, and far better is their abode in the Hereafter." Blessed
indeed is the dwelling place for the pious people. There will be
gardens for their permanent residence into which they will enter:
canals will be flowing underneath them: above all, they will find
there everything as they would desire:28
this is the reward for those pious people whose souls are received in
a pure state, by the angels, who welcome them, saying, "Peace be
on you: enter into Paradise as the reward of your good deeds."

[33-34]
O Muhammad! are these people still waiting, though now nothing has
been left but that angels should come or your Lord's judgment be
passed on them?29
Many people before them behaved audaciously like them, and had to
take the consequence: it was not Allah Who was unjust to them but
they were unjust to themselves. In the end their evil deeds brought
upon them the consequences and that very thing, they used to scoff
at, overwhelmed them.

[35-37]
The mushriks say, "Had Allah willed, neither we nor our
forefathers would have worshiped any other than Allah nor made
anything unlawful without His will."30
Such excuses were put forward also by those who went before them.31
Have the Messengers any more responsibility than to convey the
Message clearly? Accordingly, we sent to every community a Messenger,
saying, "Worship Allah and keep away from the taghut."32
After that Allah showed guidance to some of them, while deviation
took hold of others.33
So, roam about in the earth and behold what has been the end of the
rejectors of the Messengers.34
O Muhammad! howsoever desirous you may be of their guidance, (know)
that Allah does not show guidance to those whom He lets go astray,
and such people have no helpers.

[38]
They solemnly swear by God with their most sacred oaths that "Allah
will never raise him who once is dead".Why will He not raise? It
is a promise He has made binding on Himself, but most people do not
know it.

[39-40]
And It must be fulfilled so that He may reveal to them that thing
about which they are differing, and that the disbelievers might know
that they were liars.35
(As regards its possibility.) when We desire to bring a thing into
existence, We need only say, "Be", and it is there.36

[41-42]
As for those, who after persecution, left their homes for the sake of
Allah, We will give them a good abode in this world, but the reward
in the Next World is far better.37
Would that those who have borne oppression with fortitude, and are
performing their mission with full trust in their Lord, knew (what a
happy end awaits them!)

[43-44]
O Muhammad! whenever We sent before you Messengers to whom We
revealed Our Messages, they were but human beings.38
You (people of Makkah) may inquire from the people who possess
Admonition39
if you do not know this yourselves. We sent the former Messengers
with clear Signs and Books, and now We have sent the Admonition to
you (O Muhammad!), so that you should make plain and explain to the
people the teachings of the Book which has been sent for them;40
and so that they (themselves) should ponder over it.

[45-47]
What! Do those people, who are practicing evil devices (to oppose the
Message), feel fully secure from the danger that Allah will cause
them to sink into the earth? Or that He will bring scourge upon them
from whence they little suspect that it will come, or that He will
seize them all of a sudden while they are roaming about fearlessly,
or that He will seize them when they themselves are on the alert
about the impending danger? These people have no power to frustrate
His plans. The fact is that your Lord is very Lenient and
Compassionate.

[48-50]
And don't they observe anything created by Allah how it casts its
shadow right and left, prostrating itself before Allah?41
Thus all things express their humility. All the animate creation in
the heavens and the earth and all the angels prostrate themselves in
adoration before Allah;42
they do not show any arrogance at all; they fear their Lord Who is
above them, and do whatever they are bidden.

[51-52]
Allah has enjoined: "You shall not take to yourselves two gods;43
for He is the only One God: so fear Me." To Allah belongs
everything in the heavens and the earth: His way is being followed in
the universe.44
Will you, then, fear any other than Allah?45

[53-55]
Whatever blessing you enjoy is from Allah alone; then, when you have
a hard time, you with your supplications, run to Him for help.46
But no sooner does He relieve you of your distress than some of you
begin to associate others with Him (in gratitude47
for this favor), to show ingratitude for Allah's favor. Well! you may
enjoy yourselves for a while for you shall soon come to know (its
consequences.)

[56]
These people assign shares from Our provisions to those, of whom they
know nothing.4849
By God, you shall most surely be called to account about the
falsehood you had forged.

[57]
They assign daughters to Allah;50
praise be to God! as for themselves, they would like to have what
they desire.51

[58-60]
When anyone of them is given the good news of a daughter, his face
grows dark after this news and he chokes with inward gloom: he hides
himself from people because of this disgrace, asking himself whether
he should suffer his daughter with disgrace or bury her alive. What
an evil judgment they have about Allah!52
Bad attributes should be ascribed to those who do not believe in the
Hereafter. As regards Allah, all excellences are for Him; for He is
the All-Powerful, the All Wise.

[61-62]
Had Allah seized people on the spot for their transgression, He would
not have left alive any living creature on the Earth: but He respites
all for an appointed term. When their appointed time comes, they
shall not be able to put it back or forward by a single moment. Yet
they assign to Allah what they themselves dislike, and their tongues
utter the lie that their lot shall be a fair one anyhow. Nay, only
one thing awaits them, and that is the fire of Hell, wherein most
certainly they shall be hastened.

[63-64]
By God, O Muhammad, We sent Messengers before you to many communities
(and it has always been so that) Satan made their evil deeds seem
fair to them, (and so they did not believe in the Message). The same
Satan has this day become their patron also and they are incurring
the most painful punishment. We have sent down this Book to you so
that you may reveal to them the reality of the differences in which
they are involved. Moreover, this Book has been sent down as guidance
for and blessing to those who believe in it.53

[65]
(In every rainy season you see that) Allah sent down water from
heaven, and by it gave life to the earth after it had been dead:
indeed there is a Sign in this for those who listen (to the
Message).53a

[66]
And surely there is a lesson for you in the cattle: We give you to
drink of that which is in their bellies between filth and blood, that
is, pure milk,54
which is very pleasant to those who drink it.

[67]
(Likewise) We give you from date-palms and vines a drink from which
you derive intoxicants and also pure food:55
indeed there is a Sign in this for those who make use of their.
common sense.

[68-69]
And behold! Your Lord has inspired the bee56
with this "Build thy hive in the mountains, trees and in the
creepers over trellises: then drink nectar from every kind of fruit,
and follow the ways made smooth by the Lord."57
From its belly comes out a fluid of varying hues wherein is healing
for mankind.58
Here is indeed a Sign for those people who ponder over it.59

[70]
And consider this: Allah created you: then He causes your death;60
and some one from among you is carried on to abject old age so that
after knowing all he could, he may no longer have any knowledge of
it.61
The fact is that Allah alone is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.

[71]
Consider also this: Allah has favored some of you above others with
provisions, but those who have been favored with this, do not give
away their provisions to their slaves so that both may become equal
in the provision. What! do they then deny to acknowledge Allah's
favor?62

[72-74]
It is Allah alone, Who has made wives for you from your own species
and He alone bestowed upon you sons and grandsons from those wives,
and provided you with good things to eat. What, do they then (even
after seeing and knowing all this,) believe in falsehood,63
and deny Allah's favors64
and, instead of Allah, worship those who do not provide them with
anything from the heavens or the earth, nor have any power to do so?
Make no comparisons, therefore, with Allah.65
Allah knows but you do not know.

[75]
Allah cites a similitude66
(of two men): one of them is a slave, who is owned by another and has
no power over anything. There is the other man whom We Ourselves have
provided with a fair provision from which he freely spends openly and
secretly. (Ask them): "Are these two men equal?"May God be
praised!67
But most people do not understand (this simple thing).68

[76]
Allah cites another similitude of two men. One of them is dumb and
deaf and cannot do any work, and has become a burden upon his master;
wherever he dispatches him, he does nothing useful. There is the
other one, who enjoins justice and follows the Right Way. (Ask them):
"Are these two men equal?"69

[77]
Allah alone has the knowledge of all the "unknown" things
of the heavens and the earth.70
As regards the coming of the Resurrection, it will not take more time
than is taken in the twinkling of an eye rather less than this;71
the fact is that Allah has power over all things.

[78]
Allah brought you out of your mothers' wombs in this state that you
knew nothing: He gave you ears and eyes and thinking minds72
so that you may be grateful.73

[79]
Have they never observed how the birds are poised in the vault of
heaven? Who holds them up but Allah? There are many Signs in this for
those people who believe.

[80]
Allah has made your homes places of rest and peace for you: and from
the skins of cattle He has made for you houses74
which you find light during your journey and at the time of your
halt.75
And from their soft fur and wool and hair, He has furnished you with
many things for clothing and domestic service which are very useful
to you during your prescribed term of life.

[81-83]
Allah has made for you from the many things He has created shelter
from the sun. He has created for you places of refuge in the
mountains and blessed you with such garments as protect you from
heat76
and garments which shield you in your fights.77
Thus He perfects His blessings on you,78
so that you should submit to Him. But if they give no heed to you, O
Muhammad! (you need not worry) for your only responsibility is to
convey the plain Message of truth. They recognize the blessing of
Allah, yet they deny it,79
for the majority of them are not inclined to accept the Truth.

[84-88]
(Do they realize what will happen) on the Day when We shall raise up
a witness80
from every community? Then the disbelievers shall not be given any
opportunity to put forward any excuses81
nor shall they be asked to show penitence.82
When once the transgressors will see the torment, their punishment
shall neither be lightened for them after this nor shall any respite
be given to them. When the people, who had committed shirk in this
world, will see those whom they had made associates with Allah, they
will say, "Our Lord! here are those associate-deities whom we
used to invoke beside Thee". At this their deities will retort,
"You are liars."83
At that time all of them will proffer submission before Allah and all
they used to forge in this world shall vanish from them.84
We will inflict double torment85
on those who followed the way of disbelief and hindered others from
the Way of Allah on account of the chaos they spread in this world.

[89]
(O Muhammad, warn them of) the Day when We shall call a witness from
among every community to testify against it. And We shall call you to
testify against these people; (that is why) We have sent down .to you
this Book which makes plain everything86
and is guidance, blessing and good news to those who have surrendered
themselves entirely.87

[90-93]
Allah enjoins justice, generosity and kind treatment with kindred,88
and forbids indecency, wickedness and oppression.89
He admonishes you so that you may learn a lesson. Fulfill your
covenant with Allah when you have made a Covenant with Him, and do
not break your oaths after they have been confirmed and you have made
Allah your witness. Allah is fully aware of all your actions. Do not
behave like that woman who had spun yarn laboriously and then had
herself broken it into pieces.90
You make your mutual oaths a means of mutual deceit in your affairs
so that one people might take undue advantage over the other whereas
Allah puts you to trial by these pledges.91
Allah will certainly reveal to you the truth about all your
differences on the Day of Resurrection.92
Had Allah so willed (that you may not have any differences,) He would
have made you all a single community,93
but He leads astray whom He will and shows guidance to whom He will.94
And be sure that He will take you to account for all your doings.

[94]
And (O Muslims,) do not make your oaths the means of deceiving one
another lest (someone's) foot should slip after being firmly fixed95
and you may suffer the consequences of debarring other people from
the Way of Allah, and undergo a severe torment.

[95-97]
Do not barter away the Covenant96
of Allah for paltry gains:97
Indeed what is with Allah is far better for you if you knew it.
Whatever is with you is transitory and whatever is with Allah is
ever-lasting. And We will reward those, who practice fortitude98
according to their best deeds. Whosoever does righteous deeds,
whether male or female, provided he is a Believer, We will surely
grant him live a pure life in this world.99
And We will reward such people (in the Hereafter) according to their
best deeds.100

[98-100]
Then, when you begin to recite the Qur'an, seek Allah's refuge
against the accursed Satan,101
for no power has he over those who believe and put their trust in
their Lord; he has power only over those who make him their patron
and practice shirk by his temptation.

[101-102]
And when We send down one verse to elaborate upon the other-and Allah
knows best what to send down, they say, "You forge this Qur'an
yourself."102
The fact is that most of them do not know the reality. Tell them,
"The Holy Spirit has brought it down piecemeal103
intact from my Lord so that He may make firm the faith of those who
have believed,104
and to show the Right Way,105
and to give good news to those who surrender themselves to Allah."106

[103-105]
We know very well what they say about you: "Surely a certain
person teaches him."107
But the person to whom they allude speaks a foreign tongue, and this
(Qur'an) is in plain Arabic. It is a fact that Allah does not show
guidance to those who do not believe in His Revelations, and there is
a painful torment for them. (The Prophet is not forging any false
thing but) those, who do not believe in the Revelations of Allah, are
inventing falsehoods108
they are indeed the liars.

[106-109]
Whoso is forced to disbelieve after believing, while his heart is
convinced of the Faith, (he shall be absolved) but whosoever accepts
disbelief willingly, he incurs Allah's wrath, and there is severe
torment for all such people.109
This is because they preferred the life of this world to the life in
the Hereafter, and Allah does not show the Way of salvation to those
people who are ungrateful! Allah has sealed the hearts, the ears and
the eyes of such people and they have become neglectful: therefore,
it is inevitable that they should be losers in the Hereafter.110

[110-111]
On the other hand, Allah is most surely Forgiving and Compassionate
towards those people who, when they were persecuted (because of their
Faith), left their homes and migrated and struggled hard in the Way
of Allah and practiced fortitude.111
(All these will be judged) on the bay when everyone will be pleading
for himself only and everyone will be recompensed fully for one's
deeds and none shall be unjustly dealt with in the least.

[112-113]
Allah cites the instance of a habitation: it was enjoying a life of
peace and security and was receiving its provisions in abundance from
every quarter. Hut when it began to show ingratitude towards the
favors of Allah, He made its inhabitants taste the consequences of
their doings, and inflicted misfortunes of hunger and fear on them. A
Messenger came to them from among themselves but they treated him as
an impostor. At last a torment overtook them while they had become
guilty of iniquity.112

[114-117]
So, O people, eat of the lawful and pure provisions with which Allah
has blessed you and show gratitude113
to Allah for His favors, if you are sincerely obedient to Him.114
Allah has forbidden only these things: do not eat what dies of itself
nor blood nor swine flesh nor what has been slaughtered in any name
other than Allah. But if forced by hunger one eats of any of these
forbidden things, provided he has no intention of breaking the Divine
Law or of transgressing the limits by taking more than what is
absolutely indispensable, one may expect mercy, for Allah is very
Forgiving and very Compassionate.115
Do not ascribe lies to Allah by decreeing with your tongues, "This
is lawful and that is unlawful"116
for those people who ascribe lies to Allah can never come to any
good. (They should remember that) the pleasures of this world are
transitory and in the end there is a painful torment for them.

[118-124]
To the Jews We had especially forbidden the things117
We have already related to you,118
and it was not We who imposed this hardship on them, but they imposed
the hardship themselves. Nevertheless, your Lord is Forgiving and
Compassionate towards those who have repented and mended their ways
after they had committed evil in ignorance. The fact is that Abraham
was a community in himself:119
he was obedient to Allah and had turned to Him exclusively. He was
never a mushrik. he was always grateful for Allah's favors.
Accordingly Allah chose him and showed him the Right Way. Allah
blessed him with goodness in this world and most surely he will be
among the righteous in the Hereafter. Then We sent down this
Revelation to you: "Follow the way of Abraham exclusively"
and he was not one of the mushriks.120
As regards the Sabbath, We imposed this on those who differed about
its observance.121
Surely your Lord will decide between them on the Day of Resurrection
about all those things in which they have been differing.

[125-128]
O Prophet invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent
admonition122
and discuss things with people in the best manner.123
Your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Way and He knows
best who is rightly guided. And if you retaliate, let your
retaliation be to the extent that you were wronged, but if you endure
it with patience, it is indeed best for those who endure with
patience. O Muhammad, go on performing your mission with
fortitude-and you can practice fortitude only with the help of
Allah-do not be grieved at their doings and do not distress yourself
at their intrigues, for Allah is with those people who fear Him and
adopt the righteous attitude.124

1That
is, "The time for final `Judgment' has come near." As
regards the use of the past tense in the original, this may be to
show certainty of its occurrence in the near future or to emphasize
the fact that the rebellion and the wrong deeds of the Quraish had
become so unbearable that they warranted that the time for decisive
action had come.

Here
question arises as to what that "Judgment" was and how it
came. We are of the opinion (and true knowledge is with Allah alone)
that that "Judgment" was Hijrat (the Migration) of the
Holy Prophet from Makkah. For a short time after this Revelation he
was bidden to emigrate from there. And according to the Qur'an, a
Prophet is bidden to leave his place only at that time when the
rebellion and antagonism of his people reaches the extreme limit.
Then their doom is sealed, for after this Allah's punishment comes
on them either as a direct scourge from Him, or they are destroyed
by the Prophet and his followers. And this did take place actually.
At the occasion of the Migration, the people of Makkah regarded it
as a victory for themselves, but in fact it turned out to be a
defeat for shirk and disbelief which were totally uprooted within a
decade or so after the Migration not only from Makkah but from the
rest of Arabia as well.

2In
order to understand the interconnection between the first and the
second sentences, one should keep in view the background. The
challenge of the disbelievers to the Prophet, `to hasten Divine
Judgment',was really based on their assumption that their own
religion of shirk was true and the religion of Tauhid presented by
Muhammad (Allah's peace be on him) was false; otherwise, they
argued, the Divine scourge with which he threatened them would have
come upon them long before because of their disbelief and rebellion,
if there had been the authority of Allah behind it. That is why
after the declaration of the "Judgment," their
misunderstanding about the cause of delay in the punishment was
removed, as if to say, "You arc absolutely wrong to assume that
punishment has not been inflicted on you because your creed of shirk
is true, for Allah is fret from and far above shirk and has no
partner."

3This
means "the Spirit of Prophethood with which a Prophet is imbued
in order to fulfill his Mission by word and deed. The Qur'an has
called this the Spirit in several places, for this has the same
relation to the Mission of a Prophet and his moral life, which the
soul has to the physical human life."

4As
one of the things, which prompted the disbelievers to challenge the
Holy Prophet for scourge, was their presumption that he was not a
true Prophet, Allah told them categorically that he was a true
Prophet, who had been imbued with the "Spirit" which We
Ourself had sent down on him.

"Allah
sends down the Spirit on..... He chooses." This is the answer
to the objections which the chiefs of the Quraish used to raise
against the Holy Prophet: Had Allah wanted to send a Messenger to
them, was there no one better than Muhammad (Allah's peace be on
him), son of `Abdullah, for this mission? Why did He not choose one
of the big chiefs of Makkah or Taif for the purpose? Such absurd
objections needed no other answer than this that is why such an
answer has been given in several places of the Qur'an as if to say
"Allah knows best how to do His work, and does not stand in
need of any advice from you. He chooses for His mission anyone whom
He considers fit for it.

5This
verse declares the essence of the "Spirit" of Prophethood,
which is this: Godhead belongs to one Allah alone: so only He is
worthy of fear. Therefore, there is no other anchor that might make
fast and hold together human moral system than His fear. For it is
the fear of His displeasure and His punishment, and the fear of the
consequences of His disobedience which alone can act as a strong
deterrent to restrain one from deviation. That is why mankind has
been admonished: "Fear Me."

6That
is to say, "The whole system of the Earth and the heavens is a
witness to the truth of the doctrine of Tauhid and to the negation
of shirk. You may look at anything in the universe and consider the
system from any point of view you like, you will find proof of this
fact that it is being run by one God and not by many gods. Then how
is it that you believe in shirk when there is no proof whatsoever of
this in the universe?

As a
fitting sequence of this, proofs of Tauhid and refutation of shirk
have been given from Man himself and from other signs in the
universe, and it has also been shown that Prophethood is based on
Truth.

(1)
Though Allah created man from an insignificant sperm-drop, he is
capable of arguing and giving reasons in support of his claim.

(2) Man
who has such an insignificant origin, has become so vain that he
does not hesitate to dispute even with his Creator.

If
considered in its first sense, it is a chain in the series of
arguments given in many succeeding verses to prove the truth of the
Message of the Holy Prophet. (Please refer to E.N. 15). If taken in
the second sense, it is meant to warn man that he should not forget
the insignificant origin of his existence while engaged in his
rebellious arguments against his Creator. If he remembered the
different stages of his humiliating birth and growth, he would
consider many times before he assumed a haughty and rebellious
attitude towards his Creator.

8That
is, "There are many agencies which are working for the good of
man but he is quite unaware of such servants and the services
rendered by them."

9This
contains an argument for Prophethood along with a proof of Tauhid
and of Allah's Compassion and Providence. The argument is this:

There are
many divergent ways of thought and action open for man to choose
from. Obviously all these divergent ways cannot be straight ways,
because there can be only one straight way; therefore, there can be
only one right theory of life which is based on that way, and only
one right way of life which is based on that right theory . Thus it
is clear that the choice of the right way of life is man's most
important and basic need, for its wrong choice would inevitably lead
to his ruin. This is because all other things fulfill his animal
needs only, but this is the greatest necessity of his life as a
human being and without its fulfillment his life would be an utter
failure.

Now, it
cannot be expected that Allah Who made so many provisions, and on
such a large scale, for the fulfillment of the animal life of man,
did not make any arrangement for the fulfillment of this real and
greatest necessity of man. Just as He has provided for all the
necessities of his life, so He has also provided for this greatest
need of his through Prophethood. If Prophethood is denied then it
should be pointed out in what way Allah has fulfilled this basic
need of man. Experience of centuries has shown that mankind has
always blundered whenever it. has chosen a way of life by itself.
This is because Man's wisdom and intelligence are limited, and he
cannot depend on these for the choice of the right way of life.
Above all, one cannot say that Allah has made no arrangement for
this basic need of man, for this will be the greatest misconception
of Allah that He may make most elaborate arrangements for man's
animal life but should leave him in the lurch to search out a way
for himself for the fulfillment of this most important and basic
need.

10Here
a question arises: "Why didn't Allah will to guide all the
people aright inherently when He had taken upon Himself to show the
Right Way ?" It is true that Allah could have imbued Man, like
other creatures, with the inborn instinct and enabled him to choose
the Right Way without conscious thought, experience or teaching. But
this would have been against His will which was to create a being,
having will and power and freedom to follow the Right Way or the
wrong way, whichever he chose for himself. This is why he has been
endowed with different means of knowledge and powers of conscious
thought, deliberation and will, and has been empowered with the
authority to make use of all powers in him and all things around
him. Moreover, He has placed in him and all around him such factors
as might lead him to guidance or deviation. All these things would
have become meaningless, had he been created righteous by birth, and
he could never have attained the heights of progress, which can be
achieved only by the right use of freedom. That is why Allah has
chosen Prophethood for Man's guidance, and left him free to follow
or reject a Prophet. This is a test by means of which Allah judges
whether Man accepts the guidance that is presented to him in a
rational way."

12This
shows that the real function of mountains is to regulate the motion
and speed of the Earth. We have come to this conclusion, for the
Qur'an has made this benefit of mountains very prominent in many
places. Therefore, their other benefits should be regarded as
incidental.

13Natural
ways are those routes which are formed along the banks of streams,
ravines and rivers. Though the importance of these ways is great
even in the plains, one feels their sore need, especially in the
mountainous regions.

14This
is a Sign of Allah that He has broken the monotony of land by
placing conspicuous landmarks on it to distinguish different regions
from one another. These have many benefits and one of these is to
help guide travelers and navigators to their destinations. One also
realizes the importance and value of these landmarks, when one is
traveling through a sandy desert where there are hardly any objects
to guide on the way, and one is liable to lose the way any time. One
feels the lack of landmarks much more in the sea voyage. It is in
the deserts and the seas that people realize the true significance
of "......by stars, too, they arc directed aright to their
destinations."

This
verse contains arguments for Tauhid. Providence, and Compassion of
Allah, and also a proof of Prophethood. For the mind is
instinctively turned towards this question: Can it be possible that
Allah who has made so elaborate arrangements for man's guidance to
fulfill his physical needs has neglected to provide for his moral
and spiritual needs?" It cannot be so, for it is obvious that
even the greatest loss of some physical necessity due to the
adoption of a wrong way is nothing as compared with the loss of
spiritual and moral values due to deviation froth the Right Way. It
would be nothing less than having doubt in Allah's Compassion and
Providence to think that He, Who had made so elaborate provision for
man's guidance on land and sea by creating mountains, rivers, stars
and other objects, would have neglected to make provision for his
moral and spiritual guidance; any, it stands to reason, that He must
have provided prominent beacons of light to guide Man to that Right
Way of life which is indispensable to his true success.

15In
vv. 4-16, some Signs have been mentioned in succession in order to
focus people's attention on the Creation of man himself and of the
Earth and the. heavens. They will thus find that everything supports
the truth of the doctrines taught by the Holy Prophet. A critical
study of all these Signs shows that these must have been designed
and created by an All-Wise Being, and One Being alone, and there
could not have been any partner or associate to help Him. Let us
consider this theme from the point of view of Man, the central
figure in the Creation. This wonderful being who is able to speak
with his tongue and is capable of arguing his case with it, has been
created from an insignificant sperm - drop. Then many animals have
been created to satisfy the necessities of his life. They provide
food, clothing and conveyance for him and help satisfy his aesthetic
taste as well. Then there is a remarkable system of rain water from
the sky to produce corn crops, fruits and verdure, etc., on the
earth to fulfill man's needs. Then there is the creation of regular
days and nights and seasons, which are closely connected with all
kinds of production of the earth, and also with Man's general well
being. Then there are oceans, which help fulfill many of his
physical and aesthetic demands and provide water ways for traffic.
Likewise mountains have been created to provide man with many
benefits. Then there are landmarks on the earth and stars in the
heavens to guide travelers and navigators to the destinations. In
short, there are innumerable Signs in the Earth and the heavens
which are closely interconnected and are also indispensable to man's
welfare, nay, to his very existence. All these arc clear proofs that
only One Being has designed the whole universe and created it in
accordance with that design. It is He Who is all the time creating
new things to fit in that scheme, and working this wonderful
universe that spreads from the Earth to boundless heavens. Who can
then claim, except a foolish or obdurate person, that all this has
come into existence by a mere accident? Or, who can say that these
different aspects, which are working under a perfect system and are
intimately connected with one another and are well balanced, have
been created by different gods and are under the control of
different guardians?

16That
is, "If you, people of Makkah, acknowledge (and they
acknowledged this just as other mushriks did) that Allah alone is
the Creator of all of you and everything, and no one of the
partners, you have set up with Him, has created anything in the
universe, how is it, then, that you ascribe to the created, a status
equal to or like that of the Creator in the system of universe
created by Him? How can it be possible that the powers and the
rights of the created should be equal to the powers and the rights
of the Creator in the universe created by Himself? How can it be
believed that the Creator and the created possess the same qualities
and characteristics, or can have such relationship as of father and
son?"

17Here
the connection of Allah's attributes, "Forgiving and
Compassionate" , with the preceding verse is so obvious that it
has been left unmentioned. It is this: "Though Allah goes on
showering countless blessings upon people, they behave in an
ungrateful, faithless and rebellious manner towards Him. He does not
punish them immediately, but gives them respite, for He is Forgiving
and Compassionate" . This is true of both individuals and
communities. There are people, who deny even the existence of God,
yet He goes on bestowing His favors on them for years on end. There
are others who set up partners with Him in his attributes, powers
and rights, and show their gratitude to others than Him for His
blessings, yet He does not withhold His favors from them; there are
still others who profess to acknowledge Him as their Creator and
Benefactor, yet rebel against Him and are disobedient to Him and
consider freedom from Him w be their birth right, but in spite of
all this He continues to shower His countless blessings on them as
long as they live.

18A
grave misunderstanding might arise as to why Allah's blessings
should continue to be showered even on those who deny Him and set up
partners with Him and are disobedient to Him. The foolish people are
liable to conclude from this that He does not withhold His favors
from such people because He has no knowledge of their wicked deeds,
The Qur'an declares: "......Even though He has full knowledge
of all the deeds of the people, whether these are done secretly or
openly, He does not discontinue His blessings on the sinners, for He
is Forgiving, Compassionate and Merciful. Therefore, O foolish
people! , get rid of this misunderstanding, and reform yourselves."

19The
words employed here to refute man-made deifies clearly indicate that
these deities were deceased prophets, saints, martyrs and pious and
other extraordinary beings buried in their graves and not angels,
jinns, devils or idols. For the angels and devils are alive:
therefore, the words, "They are dead, not living" cannot
apply to them, and it is out of the question to say about idols of
stone or wood that "They do not know at all when they shall
again be raised to life" in the Hereafter. As regards the
objection to this version that there were no such deities in Arabia,
this is based on the lack of knowledge of the history of the
pre-Islamic period. It is well known that there was a large number
of Jews and Christians living among many clans of Arabia, who used
to invoke and worship their Prophets, saints, etc. It is also a fact
that many gods of the mushriks of Arabia were human beings, whose
idols they had set up for worship after their death. According to a
Tradition cited in Bukhari on the authority of Ibn ' Abbas, "Wadd,
Sua`, Yaghuth, Ya`uq, and Nasr were pious human beings, whom the
succeeding generations had made gods." In another Tradition,
related by Hadrat 'A'ishah, Asaf and Na'ilah were human beings.
There are also traditions to the same effect about Lat, Munat and
'Uzza. So much so that according to some traditions of the mushriks,
Lat and `Uzza were the beloved ones of Allah who used to pass His
winter with Lat and summer with `Uzza. But "Allah is absolutely
free from such (absurd) things they attribute to Him."

20That
is, "Those who do not believe in the life in the Hereafter,
have become so irresponsible, care-free and intoxicated with the
life of this world, that they feel no hesitation or pang in denying
any reality, and they put no value on or attach no worth to truth.
That -is why, they are not prepared to impose any moral restraint on
themselves and feel no need to investigate as to whether the way,
they are following, is right or wrong.

21In
the preceding verse (23) those puffed up people, who were rejecting
the Message were warned that Allah had full knowledge of all their
"deeds." Now from v. 24 the Qur'an takes up those "deeds"
one by one and deals with the arguments they presented against the
Messenger, the objections they raised and the lame excuses they
invented for their rejection, and reproaches and admonishes them.

22One
of their cunning devices was to create doubts about the Qur'an.
Whenever outsiders came to visit Makkah, they would naturally make
inquiries about the Qur'an, which the Holy Prophet declared, was
being sent down to him by Allah. The disbelievers would answer that
it contained merely fairy-tales of the ancients. They would say such
things in order to create doubts in the minds of the inquirers so
that they should not take any interest in the Message of the Holy
Prophet.

23There
is a gap between this answer and the preceding question which has
been left for the reader to fill. When Allah will ask, "Now
where are My partners?" there will be dead silence in the Plain
where the whole of mankind shall have to gather on the occasion of
Resurrection. The disbelievers and the mushriks will be dumb-founded
for they will be at a loss to find an answer to this. Then those who
had been given knowledge will make the assertion, "Today, there
is ............"

24This
is Allah's addition to the previous assertion, and not its
continuation. Those commentators who have wrongly considered this as
continuation of the preceding sentence, are unable to offer any
satisfactory explanation for their opinion.

25That
is, "When the angels take possession of their souls at the time
of death....."

26This
verse (28) and verse 32, and several other verses in the Qur'an,
clearly and definitely assert that immediately after death, souls
suffer torment or enjoy peace in the world of Barzakh. The
Traditions use the word "qabar" (grave) metaphorically for
this existence of the souls. This is the world in which souls enter
immediately after death and will remain therein up to the Day of
Resurrection. Yet the disbelievers of the Traditions declare that
after death souls will remain in a dormant state up to the time of
Resurrection, and will neither feel any pain nor joy, nor will be
conscious of anything at all. Obviously, this is a wrong opinion,
for according to v. 28, just after death when the disbelievers will
be conscious of the fact that they had been leading an evil life,
they will try to make the angels believe that they had not done any
evil deed. The angels will rebuke them at this "boldness"
and will tell them that they shall have to go into Hell. On the
other hand, according to verse 32, just after their death, the pious
believers are welcomed by the angels and given the good news that
they will enter into Paradise. Besides these verses, there is the
mention of a dialogue between the angels and those Muslims, who did
not migrate to Al-Madinah, after their souls were seized by the
angels in IV: 97. Above all, according to XL: 45-46, the people of
Pharaoh have been encircled by a torment and are exposed before the
Fire of Hell every morning and every evening. This will go on up to
the Day of Resurrection when they shall be sentenced to eternal
torment.

In fact,
both the Qur'an and the Traditions present the same kind of picture
of the condition of the soul after death up to Resurrection. Death
causes merely the separation of the soul from the body but does not
annihilate it. The soul lives with the same personality that was
formed by the different experiences and the mental exercises and
moral activities it had in its worldly life in co-operation with the
body. This nature of the consciousness, feelings, observations and
experiences of the soul, during the waiting period, is similar to
that, in a dream. Just as a criminal sentenced to death suffers from
mental torture on the eve of his crucifixion, in the same way the
angels take to task the guilty as in a dream, torture it and take it
to the horrible Hell in order to make it fore-taste the impending
torture. In contrast to this, the pure soul is welcomed by the
angels and is given the good news of entry into paradise and is made
to enjoy its pleasant breeze and smell, and to feel happy like the
faithful servant who is invited to the headquarters to receive his
reward. But this "life" in the world of Barzakh will
suddenly come to an end on the second blowing of the Trumpet of
Resurrection. When the guilty souls will again enter into their
former bodies and muster in the Plain, they will cry in horror, "Oh!
woe to us! who has roused us from our sleeping places ?" But
the true Believers will say with perfect peace of mind, "This
is exactly what the Beneficent had predicted, and the Messengers had
told the truth." (XXXVI: 52).

This has
been further elucidated in Chapter XXX.

As the
guilty ones will be under the delusion that they had been lying in
their death-bed for an hour or so and had been roused from given
Knowledge and Faith, will say. "According to the Record of
Allah, you have remained after death till this Day of Resurrection
and this is the same Day of Resurrection, but you did not know
this." (XXX: 55-56).

27In
contrast to the disbelievers (v. 24), the righteous people spoke
highly of the Holy Prophet and of the teachings of the Qur'an to the
people coming from the suburbs of Makkah. Unlike the former they did
not delude the people nor created misunderstandings in the minds.
They were full of praise for them and told the truth about the Holy
Prophet.

28This
is the best blessing of Paradise. The dweller will get there
whatever he will desire and wish and there will be nothing at all to
offend him. This is the blessing that has never been attained even
by the richest and the most powerful people in this world. On the
contrary, every dweller of Paradise will enjoy this blessing to his
fill because he will always have everything to his desire and
liking, and will have each and every wish and desire fulfilled.

29This
is to admonish the unbelievers to this effect: "Why are they
still hesitating to accept the Message which is very simple and
clear ? We have tried every method to present each aspect of the
Truth clearly with arguments and brought witnesses thereof from the
whole system of the universe, and have left no room for any man of
understanding to stick to shirk. Now what they are waiting for is
nothing more than this that the angel of death should come before
them: and then they will accept the Message at the last moment of
their lives. Or, do they wait for the scourge of God to overtake
them and make them accept the Message?"

30In
order to understand the significance of this argument the reader
should keep in view vv. 148-150 and E.N.'s 124-126 of Chapter VI,
for this has been cited and answered there.

31That
is, "Your argument" is not a new one but the same old one
which had always been offered by erroneous people who went before
you. Today you arc, like them, excusing yourselves for your
deviation and evil conduct, saying that it is the will of God. You
know that this is a lame excuse that has been invented to delude
yourselves, and to escape from admonition."

This
answer also contains a subtle retort to the objection of the
disbelievers that the Qur'an consisted merely of old stories of the
ancients (v. 24). They meant to imply that the Prophet had nothing
new to offer. So he was repeating the same old stories that had been
repeated over and over again since the time of Prophet Noah. The
retort is this: "If the Holy Prophet was not presenting
anything new but was reciting the old stories of the ancients, you
yourselves are not putting forward any new excuse in defense of your
evil deeds, but the same old excuse that was put forward by the
people who went before you."

32That
is, "You are not justified in excusing yourselves for these
sins, saying that it is the will of God for We sent Messengers to
every ummat, who told the people in plain words that they should
worship Us and none else, and should not follow and obey taghut.
Besides this, We have already warned you that We do not approve of
your deviations. Why should you then put forward this excuse for
your deviations ? Do you mean to say that We ought to have sent such
Messengers as would have forced you to follow the Right Way instead
of bringing you to it by preaching?" (Please refer to E.N. 80
of Al-A am VI for the distinction between God's "will" and
God's "approval. ")

33That
is, Whenever a Messenger came to a people, they were divided into
two groups:

(1) Those
who accepted the Message (and that, too, could not have been
possible except with the will of Allah. )

(2) Those
who rejected it and stuck to their deviation. (For fuller
explanation, please consult E.N. 28 of Al-An am VI.

34That
is, "You can see for yourselves the lesson of human history. It
is this that the people, who rejected the Message, incurred the
scourge of Allah like Pharaoh and the people of Pharaoh, while
Prophet Moses received the blessings of Allah."

35In
v. 39 those two things have been stated which rationally and morally
require that there must be Resurrection and Life-after-death, that
is: (1) to reveal what the reality was, and (2) to reward or punish
people in accordance with the right or wrong stand they took about
it in this world. It is common knowledge that since the creation of
Man on the Earth there have been many differences regarding the
Reality which have been sowing dissension between families, nations
and races. These have also led to the formation of many different
societies, cultures and creeds on different theories. In every age
millions of the torch-bearers of each of these theories have been
putting at stake their all-life, property, honor-to propagate and
defend their favorite theory. Nay, there has always been such a
bitter conflict between them that each group tried to annihilate the
other, who, in his turn, stuck to it to the last. This being the
case, common sense demands that such far-reaching and serious
differences should be cleared some time or other, so as to decide
with certainty what was right and what was wrong, who was in the
right and who was in the wrong. Obviously, it is not possible to
lift the curtain from the Reality in this world so as to reveal
things in their true perspective. This is because the system on
which this world has been created does not allow this. Therefore,
there should be another world to fulfill this demand of common
sense.

This is
not the demand of common sense alone but also of the moral sense,
which requires that the partners in this conflict should be rewarded
or punished according to right or wrong, just or unjust part they
played in it. For, some of these committed cruelties on the others,
who had to make sacrifices for their cause. Then each one should
also bear the responsibility for formulating and practicing a moral
or immoral philosophy which influenced millions and billions of
others for better or worse. Moral sense demands that there should be
a time for the moral consequences to take their due course. As this
is not possible in this world there should be another world for the
purpose.

36This
is the answer to those who imagined that it was the most difficult
thing to raise the dead, and that, too, to raise together at once
all the people who had died at any time. They have been told that it
is an easy thing for Allah, Who has the power to bring into
existence anything He desires, merely by His command, "Be,"
for He does not stand in need of any provisions, any means and any
favorable environment for this. His mere Command produces necessary
provisions, means and environment. This world was brought into
existence by His mere Command, "Be," and likewise the Next
world will at once come into existence by His single Command.

37This
is to comfort the Muslim emigrants from Makkah to Habash, who were
forced to leave their homes because of the unbearable persecution
they suffered at the hands of the disbelievers. The change of the
scene from the disbelievers to the emigrants to Habash contains a
subtle warning to the disbelievers that they should not remain under
any delusion that they would get off scot-free from punishment for
their cruel behavior towards those Muslims, so as to say, "O
cruel people! there shall be Resurrection to reward the oppressed
Believers and to punish you for your persecution of them."

38This
is the answer to the objection of the mushriks of Makkah (which has
not been cited here j that they could not believe that Muhammad (may
Allah's peace be upon him), was a Prophet of God, because he was a
human being like them. They have been told that the same objection
had been raised against all the Prophets who came before him.

39"....people
who possess Admonition" are the scholars of the people of the
Books and others, who, though not scholars in the strict sense had
sufficient knowledge of the teachings of the revealed Books and were
acquainted with the stories of the former Prophets.

40In
this connection, it is worthwhile to note that this duty of making
plain and explaining the teachings of the Book' was to be performed
by Prophet not only by word of mouth but also practically. It was
required that he should organize, under his own guidance, a Muslim
Community and establish it in accordance with the principles of the
Book. This duty of the Holy Prophet has been stated here especially
to show the wisdom of sending a man as a Messenger, for, otherwise
the Book could have been sent through the angels or could have been
printed and sent directly to each man. But in this way; that purpose
for which Allah in His Wisdom and Bounty and Providence designed to
send the Book could not have been served. For, that purpose demanded
that the Book should be Brought by a perfect man, who should present
it piece by piece, explain its meaning, remove the difficulties and
doubts, answer objections, etc. , and above all, he should show
towards those who rejected and opposed it that kind of attitude
which is worthy of the bearer of this Book. On the other hand, he
should guide those who believed in it in every aspect of life and
set before them his own excellent pattern of life. Then he should
train them individually and collectively on the principles of the
Book; so as to make them a model society for the rest of mankind.

Let us
now consider this verse (43) from another point of view. Just as it
cuts at the root of the argumentation of those who rejected the
Creed that a human Prophet could bring the Book, in the same way, it
repudiates the view of those who plead that the Book should be
accepted without any exposition of it from the Prophet. This latter
view is contradictory to this verse, whatever be the position taken
by its exponents. They might either be of the opinion that (a) the
Prophet did not give any explanation of the Book he presented or
that (b) the only acceptable thing is the Book and not any
"Exposition" thereof by the Prophet, or that (c) now the
Book alone suffices us, for its "Exposition" by the
Prophet has lost its utility or that (d) now the Book alone is
authentic for the "Exposition" by the Prophet has ceased
to exist, or if it does exists, it cannot be relied upon.

If they
take the position (a), it will mean that the Prophet did not fulfill
the purpose for which he was chosen to be the bearer of the Book:
otherwise Allah could send it through an angel or directly to each
person.

If they
take the position (b) or (c), (God forbid) they will be accusing
Allah of doing a useless thing by sending His Book through a
Prophet, when He could have printed copies of the Qur'an and sent
those directly to the people.

In case,
they take the position (d), they, in fact, repudiate both the Qur'an
and its "Exposition by the Holy Prophet. Then the only rational
course left for them would be to accept the view of those who
believe in the necessity of a new Prophet and a new revelation;
whereas Allah Himself considers the "Exposition" of the
Book by the Prophet as an essential thing, and puts it forward as an
argument for the necessity of a Prophet. Now if the view of the
rejectors of Tradition that the Explanation of the Holy Prophet has
disappeared from the world is to be accepted, then two conclusions
are inevitable; First, the Prophethood of Muhammad (May Allah's
peace be upon him) as a pattern for us has ceased to exist, and the
only relation we have with him is the same that we have with the
other former Prophets, e.g. Hud, Salih, Shu`aib, etc. (May Allah's
peace be upon them). That is, we have only to testify that they were
Prophets but we have no obligation to follow their patterns, for we
have none with us. This position obviously leads to the need of a
new Prophet, for it automatically refutes the doctrine of the
Finality of Prophethood. The second inevitable conclusion will be
that a new Book is needed because in that case the Qur'an alone
could not, according to its author, suffice. Thus in the face of
this verse, there is no argument left to prove that the Qur'an is
self-sufficient to explain itself, for it itself says that there is
no need of a Prophet to explain it. Thus it is absolutely necessary
that a new Book must be sent down. May Allah destroy such people !
In their enthusiasm to repudiate Tradition, they are really cutting
at the very root of Islam itself.

41The
argument is this: The fact that everything-a man, an animal, a tree
or a mountain-casts its shadow, is a clear proof of its material
nature, and everything which is made of matter, is a creation of
Allah and is subject to a universal law. In this case the law is
that every material thing casts its shadow, which is symbolical of
its servitude, and it cannot have any share whatsoever in Godhead.

42That
is, "Not only all things on the earth alone but also all things
in the heavens, including all those whom people have been regarding
as gods and goddesses. and considering to be closely related to
Allah arc subservient to God, and have no share whatsoever in His
Godhead."

Incidentally,
it implies the existence of living creatures not only on the earth
but in the planets, too.

43Negation
of two gods by itself negates the existence of more than two gods.

44In
other words it means that the whole system of the universe exists on
its obedience to Him.

45That
is, "When it is so, will you then make the fear of any other
than God the basis of the system of your life?"

46That
is, "The fact, that you run to Allah for help in your distress
and not to anyone else, is a clear proof of the Oneness of Allah,
which has been embedded in your own hearts. At the time of your
affliction, your true nature, which had been suppressed by the gods
you had forged, involuntarily comes to the surface and invokes
Allah, for it knows no other god or lord or master, having any real
power. (For further details please refer to E.N.'s 29 and 41 of
Chapter VI).

47That
is, "At the time of showing gratitude to Allah for removing his
affliction, he begins to make offerings also to some god, goddess or
saint to show that Allah's kindness to him was due to the
intercession of his patron, for he imagines that otherwise Allah
would not have removed his distress.

48They
assign shares to those patrons about whom they have no authentic
knowledge that God has made them His partners and allotted some
duties of Godhead to them and made them governors of some
territories in His Kingdom.

49That
is, "They set apart a portion of their incomes and land
products to make offerings of this to their patron."

50This
refers to a tradition of the ancient Arabs. They regarded their
goddesses and angels as daughters of God.

52This
attitude of contempt towards daughters has been mentioned to bring
home to them the height of their folly, ignorance and impudence in
regard to God. This is why they did not hesitate to assign daughters
to Allah, though they themselves felt that to have daughters was a
matter of disgrace for theta. Besides this, it shows that they had a
very low estimation of Allah, which had resulted from their ways of
shirk. So they felt nothing wrong in ascribing such foolish and
absurd things to Allah Who is above such things.

53That
is, "This Book has afforded them an excellent opportunity to
resolve their differences which have been caused by the
superstitious creeds of their forefathers, and which have divided,
them into warring factions. They can then unite on the permanent
basis of the Truth presented by the Qur'an, but those foolish people
preferring their former condition even after the coming of this
blessing, shall meet with disgrace and torment. On the other hand,
only those, who believe in this Book, will find the Right Way and
blessed with mercy and favors from Allah.”

53aThat
is, " Had you listened to the Message of the Prophet, and
observed those Signs carefully, you would have cried from the core
of your heart, 'These Signs support his Message' . Year after year
you witness these Signs. There is the land, all barren before you,
without any sign of life-no blade of grass, no bud or flower, and no
insect. Then comes rain. All of a sudden, the same land is covered
with life. There crop upon numerous kinds of insects of which no
vestige had been left. You witness this process of life and death,
and death and life, repeated year after year. Yet you doubt this
when the Prophet tells you that Allah will again bring to life all
human beings after their death. This is because you see these Signs
as animals do, who do not see the wisdom of the Creator underlying
this phenomenon; otherwise you would have discovered that these
signs support the Message of the Prophet."

54"....between
filth and blood......":This refers to the most wonderful
process of the formation of pure milk in the bellies of the
she-cattle, for, the fodder they eat turns into blood, filth and
pure milk, which is altogether different from the first two in its
nature, color and usefulness. Some she-cattle produce milk in such
abundance that after suckling their young-ones a large quantity of
it is left to make excellent human food.

55Incidentally
it implies that the juice of the fruits of date-palms and vines
contains two things. One is that which is pure and wholesome food
for man and the other is that which turns into alcohol after it
becomes rotten. But it has been left to the choice of man to obtain
pure healthy food from this providence or to drink it as intoxicant
wine to excite him and make him lose his self-control. This also
contains a hint as to the prohibition of wine.

56The
lexical meaning of the Arabic word ('wahi ) is secret inspiration
which is felt only by the one who inspires and the other who is
inspired with. The Qur'an has used this word both for the
instinctive inspiration by Allah to His creation in general and for
the Revelation towards His Prophets in particular. Allah sends His
"wahi " to the heavens with His Command and they begin
functioning in accordance with it (XL: 12). He will send this to the
Earth with His Command and it will relate the story of all that had
happened on and in it. (XCIX: 4-S). He sends wahi to the bee and
inspires it with faculties to perform the whole of its wonderful
work instinctively (v. 68). The same is true of the bird that learns
to fly, the fish that learns to swim, the newly born child that
learns to suck milk, etc., etc. Then, it is also wahi with which
Allah inspires a human being with a spontaneous idea (XXVIII: 7).
The same is the case with all the great discoveries, inventions,
works of literature and art, etc. , which would not have been
possible without the benefit of wahi. As a matter of fact, every
human being at one time or the other feels its mental or spiritual
influence in the form of an idea or thought or plan or dream, which
is confirmed by a subsequent experience to be the right guidance
from the unseen wahi.

Then
there is the wahi (Revelation) which is the privilege of the
Prophets. This form of wahi has its own special features and is
quite distinct from all' its other forms. The Prophet, who is
inspired with it, is fully conscious and has his firm conviction
that it is being sent down from Allah. Such a Revelation contains
doctrines of creed, commandments, laws, regulations and instructions
for the guidance of mankind.

57"
. . . . follow the ways made smooth by thy Lord" : ". . .
. . work in accordance with the methods which have been taught to
thee by Allah's wahi for the smooth running of hive life" . It
is Allah's wahi (instinctive inspiration) that has taught the bees
how to build their wonderful factory with separate combs to rear
brood, combs to turn nectar into honey, combs to store food, in
short, separate combs to fulfill every aspect of hive life. It is
wahi that has taught the bees how to organize themselves into a
co-operative society for collective effort to run the "factory"
with the queen and thousands of workers to perform a variety of
specific tasks. All these things have been made so smooth for them
by wahi that the bees never feel the necessity of ever thinking
about it. They have been running smoothly their factory with their
collective effort for thousands of years with perfect accuracy.

58Though
honey is a wholesome food with a sweet taste and has medicinal power
as well, its latter quality has been mentioned only because the
former is too obvious. It is used as a medicine to cure several
diseases because it contains the juice and glucose of flowers and
fruits in the best form. Besides this, it is also used in preparing
and preserving other medicines because it does not rot. It also
preserves other things from decay. That is why it has been used for
centuries as a substitute for alcohol. And if the bee-hive is built
at a place, which abounds in certain medicinal herbs, its honey does
not remain mere honey, but becomes also the essence of that herb. It
is expected that if bees are used methodically for extracting
essence from herbs, etc. , that essence will prove to be much better
than the one obtained in the laboratories.

59This
passage (vv. 48-69) contains proofs of Tauhid and Life-after death.
These were necessitated, for the disbelievers and .he mushriks were
bitterly opposed to the Holy Prophet mainly because of these two
doctrines. The acceptance of the first doctrine demolished the whole
system of life based on shirk or atheism because to acknowledge
Allah to be the sole Providence, the Helper and the protector left
no room for the worship of any god or goddess. The proof of Tauhid
is based on the observance of the structure of the cattle, the bees,
the date-palms and vine-yards and their usefulness to mankind.
Naturally the question arises: Who has designed these in the manner
and for the purpose they have been created? The only obvious answer
is that it is the All-Wise and All-Beneficent Allah Who has designed
all these things for the benefit of mankind to produce such
varieties of food that are so wholesome and so tasty. The Prophet,
therefore, rightly demanded, "When you yourselves admit, and
you cannot but admit, that it is Allah alone Who has provided milk,
honey, dates, grapes and the like, He and none but He is worthy of
your worship, praise, gratitude and allegiance. Why do you then
insist on making offerings to your self-made gods and goddesses?"

The
second doctrine to which the disbelievers took strong objection was
that there is surely the Life-after-death. They were against this
doctrine for its acceptance changed the whole moral system and they
were not prepared to change their immoral ways. Their objection was
based on the presumption that it was impossible to bring to life
anyone after death.

They have
been asked to observe that the barren land, which once had been
covered with vegetable life, was again covered with it after
rainfall and they have been watching such repetition of life year
after year. That Allah, Who could so easily bring to life the dead
vegetable, could do the same and bring to life all the dead without
any difficulty at all.

60It
is to emphasize this: Allah not only provides you with the
necessities and good things of life (as stated in the preceding
verses), but also has full power over your life and death. None else
has any power to give lift or cause death.

61This
fact has been mentioned to bring home to the disbelievers and the
mushriks that knowledge, which gives superiority to man over all
creatures on this Earth, has been given by Allah, as if to say, "You
yourselves have seen that when a man, who once possessed much
knowledge, becomes very old, he is reduced to a mere lump of flesh.
Then that man who once taught knowledge to others loses all his
senses and cannot look even after his own self."

62It
will be worthwhile to give deep thought to the meanings of this
verse, for some modern commentators of the Qur'an have founded
strange economic theories and systems on it. Their interpretation is
an instance of perverting the meaning of the Qur'an by isolating
verses from their context and treating it as a separate whole in
order to formulate a new philosophy and law of Islamic Economics. In
their opinion the verse implies this: Those people to whom Allah has
given more provisions than others, should share these equally with
their servants and slaves: otherwise they shall be guilty of
ingratitude to Allah in regard to the wealth with which He had
blessed them. This commentary on the verse is obviously wrong and
far-fetched because in the context it occurs there is no mention at
all of any law of economics. The whole passage in which this verse
occurs deals with the refutation of shirk and proof of Tauhid. The
same themes are continued in the subsequent verses. There seems to
be no reason why an economic law should have been inserted here,
which would have been absolutely irrelevant, to say the least. On
the contrary, when the verse is considered in its context, it
becomes quite obvious that it is no more than the statement of a
fact to prove the same theme that is contained in this passage. It
argues like this: "When you yourselves do not make your
servants and slaves equal partners in your wealth-which in fact is
given to you by Allah-how is it that you join other gods with God in
your gratitude to Him for the favors with which He has blessed you.
You know that these gods have no powers to bestow anything on
anyone, and, therefore, have no right in your worship of Allah, for
they are after all His slaves and servants."

This
interpretation of the verse under discussion is corroborated by XXX:
28: "Allah sets forth to you an instance from your own selves:
Do your slaves share with you the wealth We have bestowed on you so
that you and they become equals in this? And do you fear them as you
fear one another? Thus We make clear Our Signs to those who use
their common sense." A comparison of the two verses makes it
quite clear that these have been cited to bring home to the mushriks
that they themselves do not associate their slaves with themselves
in their wealth and status, but they have the impudence and folly to
set up His own creature as partner with God.

It
appears that the erroneous interpretation has been strengthened by
the succeeding sentence: "What! do they then deny to
acknowledge Allah's favor? As this sentence immediately follows the
similitude of the rich people and their slaves, they conclude that
it will be ingratitude on the part of those, who possess more wealth
not to share it equally with those who have less. As a matter of
fact, everyone who has studied the Qur'an critically knows that
ingratitude to Allah is to show gratitude to others than Allah for
His blessings. This interpretation is so patently wrong that those
who are well-versed in the teachings of the Qur'an can have no
misconception about it. And such verses as these can mislead only
those who have a cursory knowledge of the Qur'an.

Now that
the significance of the ingratitude towards Allah's blessing has
become plain, the meaning of the verse will be quite clear, and it
is this: "When the Mushriks understand the implication of the
difference between the master and his slave and observe this
distinction in their own lives, why do they then persist in ignoring
the immense difference between the Creator and His creatures and set
up the latter as His partners and pay homage of gratitude to them
for the blessings bestowed on them by Allah.

63"
.... they believe in falsehood ......": they have this false
and baseless belief that there are certain gods and goddesses, jinns
and saints, dead and alive, who possess the power to make or mar
their fates, fulfill their desires and answer their prayers, give
them children, cure their diseases and help them win law suits.

64"
.... they deny Allah's favors" by associating others with Allah
in offering gratitude to Him for His favors, though they did not
have any proof or authority that their false gods had played any
part in regard to those favors. The Qur'an considers such an
association to be the denial of Allah's favors. It puts forward the
fundamental principle: It is the denial of the favor of the real
benefactor to offer gratitude for his favor to anyone who has not
done that favor, or to presume without any proof or reason that the
real benefactor has nor granted that favor of his own accord but
because of the mediation or regard or recommendation or intercession
of this or that person.

Even a
little thinking will show that both of the above-mentioned
fundamental things are absolutely just and rational. Let us suppose,
for the sake of illustration, that A, out of sympathy, helps B, a
needy person, but at that very moment B stands up in A's presence,
and offers gratitude for that kind act to another person who had no
share at all in it. A being a generous person may not take any
notice of B's absurd response, and may even continue to help him as
before, but he cannot help having a very low opinion of B character
and considering him to be an ungrateful wretch. Then on inquiry
reveals that he was grateful to the other person for A had done that
kindness to B because of him. Naturally A will take it ill, for he
knows that B's assumption is absolutely wrong: nay, he will take
this as an insult to himself because it meant that B has a very low
opinion of him that he is not a generous and kind-hearted man but
merely does such deeds to please his friends. It means that A helps
a needy person only if he brings recommendation of his friends;
otherwise none can expect any goodness from him.

65"Make
no comparisons with Allah" : You should not compare Allah with
others nor consider Him to be unapproachable like worldly kings and
rulers, to whom none can have access without the mediation and
intercession of their courtiers and servants. As Allah is not
surrounded by angels, saints, favorites, etc., everyone can have
direct access to Him without mediation by anyone.

66In
the preceding verse, the mushriks were told not to make comparisons
between Allah and His creatures, for there is nothing like Him. As
the bases of their comparison were wrong, their conclusions were
also misleading. In this verse appropriate similitudes have been
cited and right comparisons have been made to lead them to Reality.

67Between
the last question and "May God be praised! " there is a
gap which is to be filled with the help of the latter. When the
question was posed, obviously the mushriks could not say that the
two men were equal. So some of them would have admitted that they
were not equal, while the others would have kept quiet for fear that
in case of admission, they would have to abide by its logical
conclusion, that is, the admission of refutation of the doctrine of
shirk. Therefore, the words, "May God be praised !" have
been put in the mouth of the Prophet in answer to both kinds of the
response to the question. In the first case, it would mean: "May
God be praised! you have admitted at least so much" . In the
second case, it would mean: "May God be praised! you have kept
quiet in spite of all your obduracy and have not had the audacity to
say that both were equal."

68"...most
people do not understand (this simple thing)" that while they
feel and carefully observe the distinction between those who have
powers and those who are powerless, they neither feel nor observe
the clear distinction between the Creator and His creation. That is
why they associate the creatures with the Creator in His Attributes
and Powers and show the kind of allegiance to them as is the
exclusive right of the Creator. The pity is that in their everyday
life, they would beg for sane thing from the master of the house and
not from the servants but in contrast to this, they would beg for
their needs from the servants of Allah and not from Him.

69In
the first similitude, distinction between Allah and false gods has
been made clear in regard to the possession of powers and the lack
of these. In the second one, the emphasis is on the use of those
powers. Allah is not only All Powerful, but also hears all the
prayers and fulfills all the needs, while the slave is utterly
powerless. He does not and cannot hear prayers, nor can make a
response to them nor has the power to do anything at all. He is
totally dependent on the Master and quite incapable of doing
anything by himself. On the other hand, the Master is All-Powerful
and All-Wise. He enjoins justice on the world: whatever He does is
right and accurate. Ask them, "Is it then a point of wisdom to
regard such Master and such a slave as equal?"

70The
subsequent sentence shows that this is the answer w a question which
was frequently put to the Holy Prophet by the disbelievers of
Makkah. The question which has not been cited was this: If the
Resurrection you so often talk of is really coming, let us know the
date of its coming.

71That
is, "Don't be under the delusion that the Resurrection will
come gradually and take a long time: you will neither be able to sec
it coming at a distance nor guard against it and make preparations
to meet it. For it will come suddenly without any previous notice,
in the twinkling of an eye or even take less time than this.
Therefore, now is the time to consider this matter seriously and to
decide about your attitude towards it. You should not depend upon
this false hope that there is still a long time in the coming of the
Resurrection and you will set matters right with Allah when you will
see it coming."

It may be
pointed out that the Resurrection has been mentioned here during the
discussion on Tauhid in order to warn the people that the choice
between the doctrines of Tauhid and shirk is not merely a
theoretical question. For that choice determines different courses
of life for which they will be called to account on the Day of
Resurrection. They have also been warned that it will come all of a
sudden at some unknown time. Therefore, they should be very careful
to make that choice which will determine their success or failure on
that Day.

72This
is to remind them that when they were born they were more helpless
and ignorant than the young-one of an animal, but Allah gave them
ears to hear, eyes to see and minds to think and reflect. These have
enabled them to acquire every kind of information and knowledge to
carry on their worldly affairs efficiently. So much so that these
sensory faculties are the only means which help man attain so much
progress as to rule over everything on the earth.

73That
is, "You should be grateful to that Allah Who has bestowed upon
you such blessings as these. It will be ingratitude on your part if
you hear everything with your ears except the Word of God, and see
everything with your eyes except the Signs of Allah and consider
seriously about all the matters except your Benefactor Who has
blessed you with these favors.

75That
is, "When you want to start on a journey, you can easily fold
your tents and carry them, and when you want to make a short halt,
you can easily unfold them and pitch them for shelter and rest."

76The
Qur'an has not mentioned protection from cold for either of the two
reasons: (1) Because the use of garments in the summer season is a
symbol of cultural perfection and obviously there is no need to
mention the lower stages of culture. Or (2) the use of garments in
hot countries has specially been mentioned because the main use of
garments there is for protection from the hot pestilential furious
wind. Therefore, one has to cover one's head, neck, ears, and the
whole of ones body to protect it from the hot wind which would
otherwise scorch one to death.

78"He
perfects His blessings on you": Allah makes provision for the
minutest needs and necessities of every aspect of human life. For
example, let us take the instance of the protection of the human
body from external influences. We find that Allah has made such
elaborate arrangements as require a complete book to relate them.
These arrangements reach their perfection in the case of clothing
and housing arrangement. Or, if we consider the food requirements we
realize that it is of many varieties which fulfill every need. More
than this: the means Allah has provided for food requirements of man
are so numerous that the list of the varieties and the names of
different kinds of food require a big volume. This is the perfection
of the blessing of food. Likewise, one would see perfection of the
blessings of Allah in the fulfillment of each and every human need
and necessity.

79Here
the denial of the blessings of Allah refers to practical denial by
the disbelievers of Makkah. For they did not deny that all these
blessings were from Allah but along with this they believed that
their saints and gods also had contributed towards them. This is why
they associated their intercessors in their gratitude to Allah for
these blessings. Nay, they were even more grateful to them than to
Allah. Allah regards this association as denial of His blessings,
ingratitude and forgetfulness of His favors.

80The
witness will be the Prophet of that community or his follower who
invited that community to Tauhid and God-worship and warned it of
the consequences of shirk and superstitious rites and customs and
cautioned it against the accountability on the Day of Resurrection.
He will bear witness of the fact that he had conveyed the true
Message to those people, and that they committed evils deliberately
and not in ignorance.

81This
does not mean that the criminals will not be given any opportunity
to clear themselves but it means that their crimes will be proved to
the hilt by means of irrefutable evidence which will leave no room
for excuses.

82That
is, "They will not be given the opportunity to beg pardon of
their Lord for their crimes. For that will be the time of judgment
as the time of begging pardon would have ended long before this."
The Qur'an and the Traditions are explicit on this point that the
place for penitence is this world and not the Next World. Even in
this world the opportunity is lost as soon as signs of death begin
to appear, for the penitence at that time will be of no avail when a
person knows that the time of his death has come. Respite for deeds
expires as soon as one enters into the boundary of death, and the
only thing that remains after that is the award of reward and
punishment.

83It
does not mean that they would deny the fact that the mushriks used
to invoke their help. They will call them liars in the sense that
they had made them deities without their knowledge, information and
permission, as if to say, "We never told you to leave Allah
aside and pray to us for help. As a matter of fact, we never
approved of this, nay, we were utterly unaware of this that you were
invoking us. It was an utter lie that you considered us to be able
to hear your prayers, answer them and help you out of your
difficulties. As you yourselves were responsible for this shirk, why
arc you involving us in its consequences?"

84That
is, "All those things on which they had relied will prove to be
false, for they will not find anyone to hear their supplication nor
anyone to remove their hardships. Nay, there will be none who will
come forward and say, "These. are my dependents: so no action
should be taken against them."

85Double
torment: one for their own disbelief and the other for hindering
others from the Way of Allah.

86The
Qur'an makes manifest everything on which depends guidance or
deviation, success or failure: whose knowledge is essential for
following the Right Way: which clearly distinguishes Truth from
false hood.

In this
connection one should guard against that meaning of this sentence
and the like in the Qur'an according to which some people interpret
"everything" to mean "the knowledge of all sciences,
arts, etc.," and in order to prove the correctness of their
interpretation, they have to pervert the real meaning of the
Qur'an.

87This
Book is a guidance for those who surrender to it as a Divine Book
and follow it in every aspect of life. Then it will bring Allah's
blessings upon them, and will give them the good news that they will
come out successful in the Court of Allah on the Day of Judgment.
Or. the contrary, those people who reject it shall not only be
deprived of guidance and blessing but will also find it as a
testimony against themselves on the Day of Resurrection when Allah's
Messenger will stand up to testify against them. This Book will
prove to be a strong argument against them, for Allah's Messenger
will say that he had conveyed its Message which made manifest the
distinction between Truth and falsehood.

88In
this brief sentence Allah has enjoined three most important things
on which alone depends the establishment of a sound and healthy
society:

The first
of these is justice which has two aspects.

To make
such arrangements as may enable everyone to get one's due rights
without stint. Justice does not, however, mean equal distribution of
rights, for that would be absolutely unnatural. In fact, justice
means equitable dispensation of rights which in certain cases may
mean equality. For example, all citizens should have equal rights of
citizenship but in other cases equality in rights would be
injustice. For instance, equality in social status and rights
between parents and their children will obviously be wrong. Likewise
those who render services of superior and inferior types cannot be
equal in regard to wages and salaries. What Allah enjoins is that
the full rights of everyone should be honestly rendered whether
those be moral, social, economic legal or political in accordance
with what one justly deserves.

The
second thing enjoined is "ihsan" which has no equivalent
in English. This means to be good, generous, sympathetic, tolerant,
forgiving, polite, cooperative, selfless, etc. In collective life
this is even more important than justice; for justice is the
foundation of a sound society but ihsan is its perfection. On the
one hand, justice protects society from bitterness and violation of
rights: on the other, ihsan makes it sweet and joyful and worth
living. It is obvious that no society can flourish if every
individual insists on exacting his pound of flesh. At best such a
society might be free from conflict but there cannot be love,
gratitude, generosity, sacrifice, sincerity, sympathy and such
humane qualities as produce sweetness in life and develop high
values.

The third
thing which has been enjoined is good treatment towards one's
relatives which in fact is a specific form of ihsan. It means that
one should not only treat one's relatives well, share their sorrows
and pleasures and help them within lawful limits but should also
share one's wealth with them according to one's means and the need
of each relative. This enjoins on everyone who possesses ample means
to acknowledge the share of one's deserving relatives along with the
rights of one's own person and family. The Divine Law holds every
well-to-do person in a family to be responsible for fulfilling the
needs of all his needy kith and kin. The Law considers it a great
evil that one person should enjoy the pleasures of life while his
own kith and kin are starving. As it considers the family to be an
important part of society, it lays down that the first right of
needy individuals is on its well-to-do members and then on the
others. Likewise it is the first duty of the well-to-do members of
the family to fulfill the needs of their own near relatives and then
those of others. The Holy Prophet has emphasized this fact in many
Traditions, according to which a person owes rights to his parents,
his wife and children, his brothers and sisters, other relatives,
etc., in accordance with the nearness of their relationships. On the
basis of this fundamental principle, Caliph Umar made it obligatory
on the first cousins of an orphan to support him. In the case of
another orphan he declared that if he had no first cousins he would
have made it obligatory on distant cousins to support him. Just
imagine the happy condition of the society every unit of which
supports its every needy individual in this way-most surely that
society will become high and pure economically, socially, and
morally.

89In
contrast to the above-mentioned three virtues, Allah prohibits three
vices which ruin individuals and the society as a whole:

(1) The
Arabic word fahsha applies to all those things that are immodest,
immoral or obscene or nasty or dirty or vulgar, not fit to be seen
or heard, because they offend against recognized standards of
propriety or good taste, e.g., adultery, fornication,
homo-sexuality, nakedness, nudity, theft, robbery, drinking,
gambling, begging, abusive language and the like. Likewise it is
indecent to indulge in giving publicity to any of these evils and to
spread them, e.g., false propaganda, calumny, publicity of crimes,
indecent stories, dramas, films, naked pictures, public appearance
of womenfolk with indecent make-ups, free mixing of sexes, dancing
and the like.

(2)
Munkar applies to all those evils which have always been universally
regarded as evils and have been forbidden by all divine systems of
law.

(3) Baghy
applies to those vices that transgress the proper limits of decency
and violate the rights of others, whether those of the Creator or
His Creation.

90In
this verse, Allah has enjoined three kinds of Covenants which have
been mentioned in the order of their importance. The first of these
Covenants is the one between man and his Allah which is the most
important of all. The second in importance is the Covenant between
one man or one group of men and another man or another group of men,
which is taken with Allah as a witness or in which the name of God
has been used. The third Covenant is that which has been made
without using Allah's name. Though this is third in importance, its
fulfillment is as important as that of the first two and the
violation of any of these has been prohibited.

91In
this connection it should be noted that Allah has rebuked the people
for the worst form of violation of treaties which has been creating
the greatest disorder in the world. It is a pity that even "big"
people consider it to be a virtue to violate treaties in order to
gain advantages for their people in political, economic and
religious conflicts. At one time the leader of one nation enters
into a treaty with another nation for the interest of his own people
but at another time the same leader publicly breaks the very same
treaty for the interest of his people, or secretly violates it. It
is an irony that such violations are made even by those people who
are honest in their private lives. Moreover, it is regrettable that
their own people do not protest against them; nay, they eulogize
them for such shameful feats of diplomacy. Therefore, Allah warns
that every such treaty is a test of the character of those who enter
into it, and of their nations. They might gain some apparent
advantage for their people in this way, but they will not escape
their consequences on the Day of Judgment.

92This
is to warn that decision about differences and disputes that lead to
conflict, will be made on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, these
should not be made an excuse to break agreements and treaties. Even
if one is wholly in the right and the opponent is wholly in the
wrong, it is not right for the former to break treaties or make
false propaganda or employ other deceitful methods to defeat the
other. If one does so, it will go against him on that Day because
righteousness demands that one should not only be right in one's
theories and aims but should also use right methods and employ right
means. This warning has especially been given to those religious
groups and sects who always suffer from this misunderstanding that
they have a right to defeat their opponents because they are on the
side of God and their opponents are rebels against Allah: therefore,
there is no obligation on them to stick to their treaties with their
opponents. This was what the Arab Jews practiced, declaring, "There
is no moral obligation on us in regard to the pagan Arabs, and we
are rightly entitled to practice dishonesty and deceit that might be
of advantage to us and harmful to the disbelievers."

93This
further supports the previous warning. It means that it would be
wrong for any champion of Allah's religion to arrogate to himself
the use of every sort of method and means irrespective of whether
they are right or wrong to propagate his own religion (considering
it to be Allah's Religion) and try to destroy opposite religions.
For this would be utterly against the will of Allah: if Allah had
willed that there should be no religious differences, He could have
deprived mankind of the freedom of choice. In that case, there would
have been no need for Allah to get help of any such up-holder of His
Religion, who uses disgraceful means for this purpose. Allah could
have created all mankind to be inherent believers and obedient
servants by depriving them of the power and option of disbelief and
sin. Then there would have been none who could have dared to deviate
from belief and obedience.

94This
is to show that Allah Himself has given man the power and freedom to
follow any out of the many ways. That is why Allah makes
arrangements for the guidance of the one who intends to follow the
right way, and lets go astray the one who desires to deviate.

95That
is, "Someone,who might have been convinced of Islam, seeing
your dishonest conduct should become disgusted and hold back from
joining the Believers." For he might argue like this:"As
these Muslims are not much different from the disbelievers in their
morals and dealings, there is no reason why I should join them."

96That
is, "The Covenant that you may make in the name of Allah as a
representative of His religion."

97It
does not mean that they should barter away Allah's Covenant for some
big gain. What it implies is that any worldly gain howsoever great,
is insignificant as compared with the worth of Allah's Covenant.
Therefore, it will be a losing bargain to barter that away for any
worldly gain, which is after all paltry.

98Those
who practice fortitude are the people who will always stand Finn in
the struggle between right and truth on one side and greed and lust
on the other. They bear every loss for the sake of righteousness and
spurn away every gain that they might obtain by adopting unlawful
means. They patiently wait for the rewards of their good deeds in
the Hereafter.

99This
verse removes the wrong notions of both the Muslims and the
disbelievers who are of the opinion that those who adopt a just
honest and pious attitude, are most surely losers in this world,
though they might be gainers in the Hereafter. Allah removes this
misunderstanding, as if to say, "This presumption of yours is
wrong. The righteous attitude not only leads to a happy life in the
Hereafter, but it also guarantees, by Allah's grace, a pure and
happy life even in this world. " And this is a fact: those
people who are sincerely righteous, honest, pure and fair in their
dealings. Enjoy a much better life in this world, for they enjoy
that confidence and real honor and respect because of their spotless
character, which is not enjoyed by those who lack these virtues.
They obtain such pure and outstanding successes as are denied to
those who employ dirty and disgusting ways to win success. Above
all, they enjoy, even though they might be living in huts, that
peace of mind and satisfaction of conscience which is denied to the
wicked dwellers of mansions and palaces.

100That
is, "Their rank in the Hereafter shall be determined according
to their best deeds". In other words, "If a person has
done both small and great virtues," he will be awarded that
high rank which he would merit according to his greatest virtues.

101This
does not mean that one should merely repeat the Arabic words: (I
seek Allah's refuge against the accursed Satan). It means that one
should have a sincere desire and do one's utmost to guard against
Satan's evil suggestions when one is reciting the Holy Qur'an and
should not allow wrong and irrelevant doubts and suspicions to enter
one's heart. One should try to sec everything contained in the
Qur'an in its true light, and refrain from mixing it up with one's
self-invented theories or ideas foreign to the Qur'an so as to
construe its meaning against the will of Allah. Moreover, one should
feel that the most sinister and avowed design of Satan is that the
reader should not obtain any guidance from the Quran. This is why
Satan tries his utmost to delude the reader and pervert him from
getting guidance from it, and mislead him into wrong ways of
thinking. Therefore, the reader should be fully on his guard against
Satan and seek Allah's refuge for help so that Satan should not be
able to deprive him of the benefits froth this source of guidance,
for one who fails to get guidance from this source, will never be
able to get guidance from any where else. Above all, the one who
seeks to obtain deviation from this Book, is so entangled in
deviation that he can never get out of this vicious circle.

The
context in which this verse occurs here is to serve as an
introduction to the answers to the questions which the mushriks of
Makkah were raising against the Qur'an. They have been warned that
they could appreciate the blessing of the Qur'an only if they would
try to see it in its true light by seeking Allah's protection
against Satan's misleading suggestions, and not by raising
objections against it. Otherwise Satan does not let a man understand
the Qur'an and its teachings.

102This
may also mean, "To send down one Commandment to elaborate upon
the other, for the Commandments were sent down piecemeal in the
Qur'an". For instance, the Commandments about "prohibition"
and fornication were sent down gradually one after the other during
several years. But We hesitate to accept this interpretation because
An-Nahl is a Makki Surah and to the best of our information there is
no instance to show that Commandments were sent down piecemeal at
Makkah. Therefore, we prefer the other interpretation. The Qur'an
has added details of one theme and explained the same with different
kinds of illustrations at different places. Likewise it has related
a story in different words at different places and presented its
different aspects and details at other places. It has put forward
one argument at one place to prove a theme and another at another
place to prove the same theme. It has related one theme concisely at
one place and in detail at the other. That is what the disbelievers
of Makkah put forward as proof that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon
him) forged the Qur'an himself. They argued like this: "Had the
Qur'an been the Word of Allah it would have related in full one
thing at one place, for Allah's knowledge is not defective that He
should have to think out gradually the details of a theme and to
give different versions to explain the same thing. In contrast to
this, the knowledge of a human being is defective. A man has to
think out gradually as has been done in the case of the Qur'an which
is a clear proof that you have forged it yourself."

103The
Holy Spirit': `fibril'. Instead of using the name of the Angel who
brought Revelation, his title has been deliberately mentioned to
warn the disbelievers that the 'Holy Spirit' who brought Revelation,
is free from human frailties. He is neither dishonest that he should
add something to or take away something from the Message he brought,
nor is he a liar and forger that he should invent and state
something in the name of Allah. Nor does he suffer from any human
lust that he should practice a deceit. He is wholly pure and holy
and conveys the Word of Allah intact.

104That
is, "The fact that Allah sends down His Message piecemeal does
not mean that Allah's knowledge and wisdom are defective as you
consider because of your folly. Allah sends His Revelations
gradually because human intelligence and capacity to grasp are
limited and defective which do not let him understand the whole
theme at one and the same time and make it firm in his mind.
Therefore, Allah in His wisdom conveyed His Revelation piecemeal
through the Holy Spirit. He sends a theme gradually and gives its
details by and by and uses different methods and .ways to make it
plain to human beings so that they might grasp it according to their
abilities and capabilities and become firm in their faith and
knowledge.

105The
second practical wisdom of sending down the Qur'an piecemeal was
that those Believers, who obediently followed it, should get
necessary instructions for the propagation of Islam and the solution
of other problems of life at the time when they were actually
needed. It is obvious that if those instructions had been sent down
before time and at one and the same time they would not have been
useful.

106The
third practical wisdom of not sending down the Qur'an as a whole at
one and the same time was to give good tidings and encouragement to
the obedient servants who were suffering from persecution and
encountering great obstacles because they needed it over and over
again. That is why they were assured of ultimate success time and
again to fill them with hope to carry on their mission.

107In
this connection, traditions mention the names of several persons,
one of whom (Jabar), according to the disbelievers of Makkah taught
the Holy Prophet; however, one thing particularly noteworthy about
all these persons is that they were non-Arab slaves. Whosoever he
might be, the fact that he used to recite the Torah and the Gospel
and had an acquaintance with the Holy Prophet, gave an opportunity
to the disbelievers for spreading this false report that it was the
particular slave who was the real author of the Holy Qur'an, but
Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) presented it as the Word of
God. This not only shows that his opponents were very impudent in
spreading false accusations against the Holy Prophet but also that,
in general, people are not just in judging the worth of their
contemporaries. They were ill-treating like this that great
personality who has had no parallel in history. Nevertheless, these
people who had become blind in their opposition, preferred to
attribute the authorship of the matchless Arabic Qur'an to a
non-Arab slave who had a smattering of the Torah and the Gospel.
Instead of accepting the claim of the Holy Prophet, who was an
embodiment of truth, they attributed its authorship to an
insignificant foreign slave.

108This
verse can also be rendered like this: "A Prophet does not forge
any false thing but those, who do not believe in the Revelations of
Allah, invent falsehoods."

109This
verse deals with the case of those Muslims who were being persecuted
with cruelty and were being-subjected to unbearable torments to
force them to give up their Faith. They are being told that if at
any time they are forced to utter words of disbelief to save their
lives, when in fact in their hearts they are secure against
disbelief, they will be pardoned. On the other hand, if they
accepted unbelief from the core of their hearts, they shall not
escape the torment of Allah even if they succeed in saving their
lives.

It does
not, however, mean that one should utter words of disbelief to save
one's life. This is merely a permission but not the ideal thing for
a Believer. According to this permission if one utters such a thing,
he shall not be taken to account. In fact, the ideal for a Believer
is to utter words of truth in any case whether his body is cut into
pieces. There are instances which show that during the period of the
Holy Prophet some acted upon the ideal while others took advantage
of the permission. There was Khabbab bin Art (May Allah be pleased
with him) who was made to lie on embers of fire until the fire was
extinguished by the melting of his fat, but he remained firm in his
Faith. Then there was Bilal Habashi (May Allah be pleased with him)
who was made to put on an armor and stand in the scorching heat.
Then he was dragged on the burning sand but he went on saying,
"Allah is one." There was another Believer, Habib Gin Zaid
bin `Asim, whose limbs were cut one by one by the order of
Musailimah, the Liar. Each time his limb was severed it was demanded
of him that he should acknowledge the Liar as a prophet but each
time he refused to bear witness to his claim of prophethood until he
breathed his last. On the other hand, there was the instance of
Ammar bin Yasir (May Allah be pleased with him) whose parents were
mercilessly butchered before his eyes. After this he himself was put
to such unbearable torture that, in order to save his life, he had
to utter the same words of unbelief that were demanded of him.
Afterwards when he came crying to the Holy Prophet, he said, "O
Messenger of Allah, they did not let me go until I spoke evil of you
and praised their deities" . The Holy Prophet asked him, "How
do you feel about this, in your heart?" He replied humbly, "My
heart is fully convinced of the Faith." At this the Holy
Prophet replied, "If they put you to the same torture again,
you may utter the same words" .

110These
words apply to those people who gave up their Faith, when they felt
that they could not bear hardships of the Right Way and so they
again joined their unbelieving, mushrik people.

112That
habitation has not been specified here nor have the commentators
definitely pointed out which that habitation was. However, there is
a saying of Ibn `Abbas (which seems to be correct) that the place
referred to is Makkah itself. In that case, "hunger and fear"
will mean the famine which prevailed over the people of Makkah for
several years during the Prophethood of Muhammad (Allah's peace be
upon him).

113This
shows that the above mentioned famine had come to an end at the time
of the revelation of this Surah.

114Here
the observation of the lawful and the unlawful has been made the
test of worship of Allah. Those who claim to be the servants of
Allah will eat what is lawful and pure and show gratitude to Him and
will scrupulously refrain from what is forbidden and impure.

116This
verse clearly shows that none but Allah has the right to declare a
thing to be lawful or unlawful. Or, in other words, the right of
making laws exclusively rests with Allah. Therefore, any person, who
will dare to decide about the lawful and the unlawful, will
transgress his powers. Of course, a person, who acknowledges the
Divine law as the final authority, may deduce from it whether a
certain thing or action is lawful or unlawful.

The
arrogation of the right of determining the lawful and the unlawful
has been declared to be a falsehood on Allah for two reasons: (1)
Such a person, so to say, claims that what he declares to be lawful
or unlawful disregarding the authority of the Divine Book, has been
made lawful or unlawful by God or (2) he means to claim that Allah
has given up the authority of making lawful and unlawful and has
thus left man free to make his own laws for the conduct of life. It
is obvious that each of these claims will be a "falsehood"
and a false imputation to Allah.

117In
this paragraph (vv. 118-124), answers to the objections raised by
the disbelievers of Makkah concerning the Commandments contained in
vv. 114-117 have been given. Their first objection was: "Besides
the above-mentioned unlawful things, there are other unlawful things
in the Jewish Law which have been made lawful by you. If that law
was from Allah and yours is also from Allah why do they then
contradict each other?" Their second objection was: "You
have abrogated the sanctity of the Sabbath of the Israelites. Have
you done this of your own accord or by Allah's Command? In the
latter case then will be an obvious contradiction in the two laws.
Or has Allah Himself given two contradictory Commandments?"

118This
refers to: "And We prohibited all animals with claws to those
people who had adopted Judaism...." (VI: 146). In this verse
(117) Allah has stated that certain things were made unlawful
because of the disobedience of the Jews.

Here a
question arises: Which of the two Surahs, Al-An`am or An-Nahl, was
first revealed? This is because in verse 118, a reference has been
made to verse 146 of Al-An`am and in verse 119 of Al-An`am, "And
why should you not eat that thing over which Allah's name has been
mentioned, when He has already given you a detail of those things
that have been declared to be unlawful for you except m case of
extremity....?", a reference has been made to verse 115 of
AnNahl. This is because these are the only two Makki Surahs in which
details of unlawful things have been given. As regards the question,
we are of the opinion that An-NahI was revealed earlier than
AI-An`am, for verse 119 of the latter contains a reference to verse
115 of the former. It appears that after the revelation of Surah
AI-An`am, the disbelievers raised objections in regard to these
verses of An-Nahl. So they were referred to verse 146 of AI-An`am in
which a few things were made unlawful, especially for the Jews. As
this answer concerned An-Nahl, so verse 118, though it was revealed
after the revelation of Al-An`am, was inserted as a parenthetical
clause in An-Nahl.

119"Abraham
was a community in himself" for at that time he was the only
Muslim in the whole world who was upholding the banner of Islam,
while the rest of the world was upholding the banner of unbelief. As
that servant of Allah performed the Mission which is ordinarily
carried out by a whole community, he was not one person but an
institution in himself.

120This
is the complete answer to the first objection (E.N. 117) raised by
the disbelievers. This has two parts:

(1) There
is no contradiction in the Divine Law as you seem to presume on the
apparent variance in the Jewish and the Islamic Law. As a matter of
fact a few things had been made unlawful especially for the Jews as
punishment to them because of their disobedience; therefore, there
was no reason why others should be deprived of those good things.

(2)
Prophet Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) was commanded to follow
the way of Abraham and not the way of the Jews, and they themselves
knew than these things were not unlawful in the law of Abraham. For
instance, the Jews did not eat the flesh of camel but this was
lawful according to Abraham. Likewise, ostrich, hare, duck, etc.,
were unlawful in the Jewish law, but they were lawful according to
Abraham. Incidentally the disbelievers of Makkah have been warned
that neither they nor the Jews had any relationship with Prophet
Abraham for he was not a mushrik while both of them were practicing
shirk. Prophet Muhammad and his followers were the only true
followers of Prophet Abraham (Allah's peace be upon them) for there
was no tinge of shirk in their creed or in their practice.

121This
is the answer to their second objection. Obviously, there was no
need to state that the restrictions about the Sabbath applied only
to the Jews and had nothing to do with the law of Prophet Abraham,
because they themselves knew it. The restrictions were imposed upon
the Jews because of their mischiefs and violations of the law. In
order to understand fully the significance of this reference one is
requested to read those passages of the Bible in which Commandments
about the Sabbath have been stated, e.g., Exodus 20: 8-11, 23:
12-13,31: 1-17, 35: 23, and Numbers 15: 32-36. Besides this, one
should also be acquainted with the impudent violations of the
Sabbath. See Jeremiah: 17: 21-27 and Ezekiel. 10: 18-24.

122This
instruction is very important for those who are engaged in the
propagation of Islam. They should always keep in view two things-
"wisdom" and "excellent admonition". "Wisdom"
implies that one should use discretion in the work of propagation
and should not do this blindly like foolish people. Wisdom demands
that one should keep in view the intelligence, capability and
circumstances of the addressees and convey the Message in accordance
with the requirements of the occasion. Moreover, one should refrain
from applying one and the same method to each and every person or
group but should first diagnose the real disease of the addressee
and then cure it by appealing to his head and heart.

"Excellent
admonition" implies two things: (1) One should not be content
with convincing the addressee with arguments alone but should also
appeal to his feelings. Likewise one should not confine oneself
merely to arguments in condemning evils and deviations but should
try to convince the other of their repugnance that lies embedded in
the human nature. One should also warn of the worst consequences of
those evils. Besides, one should not only try to convince the
addressee rationally of the soundness and excellence of guidance and
righteous deeds but should also create in him interest and love for
them. (2) Admonition should be administered in such a manner as to
show sincere concern for and the welfare of the addressee. Nothing
should be said or done to create the impression that the admonisher
is looking down upon him and taking pleasure in his own feeling of
superiority. On the contrary, he should feel that the admonisher is
filled with the strong desire for his reform and welfare.

123"Best
manner" implies that one should have a sweet tongue, show noble
character and give reasonable and appealing arguments, and refrain
from indulging in polemics, argumentation and controversies. The one
who discusses things with people in the best manner, does not resort
to accusations, crooked arguments, taunts, nor makes fun of the
opponent in order to defeat him and to win applause for his own
superiority in argument. For these things will produce obduracy and
obstinacy. In contrast to this, he will try to convince the other in
a simple and humble way, and when he feels that the other person has
come down to crooked arguments, he will leave him alone lest the
other should go further and further astray in his deviation.

124"Allah
is with those who fear Him" because they scrupulously refrain
from evil ways and always adopt the righteous attitude, for they
know that their actions and deeds are not determined by the evils
others do to them but by their own sense of righteousness; so they
return good for evil."